1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hay balers forming relatively large size rectangular hay bales, for example, 4.times.4.times.8 feet and more particularly to a turntable for angularly rotating a bale 90.degree. about its longitudinal axis as it leaves a baler chamber.
Rectangular jumbo hay bales which may approach a ton or more in mass are conventionally discharged longitudinally from the rearward end of a baler chamber which is an inconvenient position for the bale to be picked up by a bale loader and moved to a place of storage off the meadow or field. This invention provides an apparatus which is attached to the baler and performs the bale rotating function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art bale pick up, rotating and stacking apparatus generally relates to conventional small size bales of approximately 16.times.16.times.48 inches in length.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,085 issued Feb. 24, 1970 to Jay et al for BALE ELEVATOR CHUTE CONSTRUCTION and U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,756 issued Apr. 24, 1979 to Butler for BALE WAGON are believed representative of the state-of-the-art. The apparatus of each of these patents pick up a hay bale lying on one of its sides, lengthwise relative to the path of travel, as it leaves a baler and the path of travel of the bale pick up wagon which pulls the bale up a chute to a stack position, rotating the bale or bales as necessary to form tied tiers of a stacked block of such hay bales. These and other prior art patents are believed incapable of handling jumbo size hay bales. Jumbo size hay bales are picked up singularly and moved to a place of storage in side by side relation rather than being stacked, as is common with the smaller size hay bales.